I'm Glad You're Ok
by Queen Em
Summary: Sometimes there are more important things than catching the bad guy.” Smacked


**Hi there all!**

**This is just a short little SMacked one shot I was inspired to write after seeing the first epsidoe of the new series. I know what actually happend doesn't quite match what I've written in regards to the whole Joe thing, but it fits in with the story!**

**Please let me know what you think and I'm posting the next chapter of 'Don't Sleep' this weekend. I just had to post this as it sort of wrote itself!**

**Peace Out**

**xxxx**

"He out smarted me Stel, I fell for it." Mac said, his eyes full of tiredness and sadness, emotions his voice was trying to hide.

"He out smarted us all Mac." Stella replied, wishing she could make his pain go away, he had already been through so much.

"I should have known better, as soon as he spun that crap about his wife and daughter he'd got me."

"You did what you thought was the right thing to do, what you did was incredibly brave. No one lost their lives because of you, if anything, you prevented them from getting shot not to mention the fact there were a million times when Joe could have shot you in the bank."

"Maybe." Mac muttered as he hunched his shoulders.

"Excuse me Detective Taylor," a short nurse with a smiling face who looked to be in her late 40's came into the single hospital room in which Mac and Stella were in, "I need to stitch the cut on your forehead. I only need to put 3 in, it won't take long."

"It's hardly bleeding." Mac protested, not in the mood to be prodded and probed by the well meaning, but rather irritating nurse.

"No, but it's too deep to leave open, leaving it exposed could lead to an infection and if it's left..."

"Ok," Mac cut across, "do what you have to."

"This is going to sting quite a bit."

Mac just rolled his eyes, after everything he's been through today, a few stitches were hardly going to bother him, if anything they would jut be a slight...

"Ow!" Mac flinched, "Ow, that hurt!"

"Sorry, I did say", the nurse said apologetically, "there's a bit of gravel embedded in."

"Great." Mac muttered, his already bad mood plummeting even further.

The nurse continued to probe with her tweezers and Stella grimaced as she noticed her heavy handed nature as she delved around the gash. Mac's face was contorted into a frown and his tired eyes were full of regret, which saddened Stella as she knew he was beating himself up about it all and there wasn't much she could say or do that would convince him it wasn't his fault. Studying her friend she noticed how weary he looked, older in some way, although she reminded herself that this was not surprising after the day he'd had! Mac flinched again but didn't say anything as he pursed his lips tightly. Stella walked from the end of the bed where she was pacing slightly, to the edge and stood next to where Mac was sitting. She sat down next to him and placed her hand in his. They locked eyes and Mac's mouth curled into a small smile which Stella returned, then they both looked back straight ahead, not saying anything until the nurse was finished.

"Right, all done, sorry about that Detective."

"It's fine, can I go home now?"

"I'd like you to stay in for an hour or so, just to make sure every things ok, some patients react badly to the antiseptic or the stitches."

"I'm sure I'll be fine." Mac growled.

"Do as you're told." Stella said, "I don't want you passing out on me, that would be rather inconvenient." She nudged him playfully and although Mac frowned, he had a slight smile.

"Fine." Mac muttered.

"I'll come and check on you in a bit and don't worry Mrs Taylor, my husband always insists on being a typical stubborn alpha-male too." She smiled at them and left the room.

"So how are you feeling hubby?" Stella asked with a smirk.

Mac chuckled slightly, "I'll live."

"You did your best Mac." Stella sad quietly.

"But it wasn't good enough this time."

"Sometimes there are more important things than catching the bad guy."

"I know." Mac said with a sigh.

"Are you ok?" Stella's voice was almost a whisper.

"Yeah." Their hands were still entwined, not that either had noticed or minded, and Mac gave Stella's hand a gentle squeeze, although still a little reluctant to look at her for too long. They sat there together in silence and Stella shifted her position so she was sitting crossed legged on the edge of the bed whilst Mac let his legs dangle over the side, Stella's newly crossed knee sitting on his muscular thigh.

"Mac?" Stella turned her body to face him

"Yeah."

"I'm glad you're ok." She put her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. Mac put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her tightly, running his hand through her unruly curls and down her back, letting it rest around her slender waist. They pulled away but remained looking at each other, tired blue eyes meeting those of strong green.

"You didn't' get Joe, but Joe didn't get you either, and that's the most important thing."

Mac smiled a gentle smile and put his arm around her shoulder once more.

"You're coming back with me tonight." Stella said defiantly as she absent mindedly folded his shirt that was discarded on the pillow next to her.

"There's no need Stel, really."

"That wasn't a question Mac. After all what kind of wife leaves her husband alone after he was taken hostage, shot at and nearly drowned?"

Mac chuckled, "Ok, but there's one condition."

"What's that?"

"We get a pizza. I love your cooking Stel but after what we've been through, I just want us to sit on the sofa, get the pizza delivered so we can both just relax."

"You have yourself a deal Detective."

The nurse came back in and probed at Mac once more and on the 5th occasion she said, "Ok, I'm happy to discharge you Detective Taylor." Mac filled out the forms whilst Stella unfolded the shirt and handed it to him to put on over his black t-shirt. As they left the room the nurse said to Stella, "Make sure you look after him, he's been through quite an ordeal."

Stella linked her arm through Mac's and replied, "Don't worry, I will." They continued to walk along the corridor until the fresh air hit them when they left the building. Arriving at Stella's car after a slow paced walk across the car-park Mac said, "Thanks for doing this Stel, I don't know what I'd do without you." He looked at her and said quietly, "and you know I'll always be here for you too, right?"

"Of course I do, and it's no problem Mac, it may shock you, but I do care about you, I quite like you you see." She smiled at him then leant up and kissed him softly on the cheek before going round to the drivers side. They drove back to Stella's apartment in an easy silence, whilst stopped at a red light Stella turned to Mac and saw he was asleep. His head was tilted slightly and his eyes were firmly closed, he wasn't in a deep sleep but his breathing was a little heavier than usual. She smiled and squeezed his hand gently as she said quietly, "I'm glad you're ok Mac." She pulled off and they headed back home where they would sit, talk and eat pizza, nothing fancy, nothing out of the ordinary, just being there with each other, that's all that was needed.

**The End**

**Please review and I hope you enjoyed this!**


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